Last updated: November 24th, 2022
Reviewed by
Grant Desselle
Licensed Insurance Agent
Table of Contents
Comparison shopping for car insurance ensures you have the best possible rate. You may be surprised at how much monthly costs can vary based on location and whether an insurance company is local or national. Ideally, you should be doing online comparison shopping for car insurance once a year to keep your rates as low as possible.
Yes, you can get multiple quotes for car insurance. There are several ways to do this. The easiest way is to find an online tool that searches numerous company rates simultaneously. However, be aware that the rates from these tools will need to be verified by clicking through to each company’s site. The rates can change slightly once you’ve clicked through.
Another option is to get a quote from each insurance provider directly by filling out their online forms. While this can be a bit more tedious than the first option, the estimates received are more accurate from the start. If you choose this option, you’ll want to get quotes from no less than five local and national car insurance companies to ensure you’re getting the lowest car insurance rate.
Alternatively, you can contact an independent agent to do the legwork for you. They can gather the required information and then contact the carriers they’re associated with to find the best coverage for your budget and needs.
Most insurance companies now let you receive a free quote online for car insurance. In addition, many companies (especially national ones) will help you purchase car insurance and sign all necessary documents online, too.
Of course, other options for free quotes and purchasing still exist if you prefer not to go the online route. Some insurance companies may have offices in your area, and most still do business over the phone.
Getting free quotes online is generally faster and more efficient, so many people choose this route. However, if you prefer to get your quote online but purchase insurance through an alternative method, this is also possible. You don’t have to buy a new policy online just because you’ve gotten a quote this way.
For the most part, online quotes for car insurance are accurate. However, the accuracy relies on you being honest when entering your information. For example, your quotes may not be accurate if you leave out that you’ve been at fault in a recent car accident. Or your rates may rise if you add a driver that wasn’t included in the quote.
Ensure you’ve entered as much information as possible to receive an accurate quote, including additional drivers, previous car accidents, lapses in insurance history, and tickets. Conversely, you can ensure you’re saving as much money as possible by including any vehicle safety features or driver safety courses and checking off any applicable discounts. Many companies offer discounts for veterans, active military service members, seniors, and married couples and have bundling options.
How in-depth an online quote tool is will also affect the accuracy of the quote you receive. The more information asked for, the greater the accuracy. Online quote tools that only ask for age, ZIP code, and vehicle information aren’t likely to be as accurate if you have other circumstances affecting your quote.
Several factors affect your car insurance rates more than others. For example, age is a significant consideration because car insurance rates drop as you get older. In fact, teenagers between 16 and 19 are the most likely to be in a car accident. For this reason, car insurance rates are higher for this age group and will slowly decline throughout the 20s and 30s.
Driving history is another significant contributing factor. A person without recent car accidents or moving violations will usually pay significantly less than someone with one or more of these on their record.
Location can make a difference, too, due to factors such as sprawl tax and crime rates. A person living in a high-crime area in New Jersey will likely pay much more than someone living in one of the safest parts of the state.
Finally, your credit score can also affect your rate. Statistically, drivers with higher credit scores file fewer claims than drivers with lower scores, costing insurers less money over time.
Brian is the founder and CEO of Insurist and carries Life, Health, and Property & Casualty licenses in all 50 U.S. states. Since 2013, Brian has been a member of Million Dollar Round Table, a designation for the top 1% of financial advisors worldwide. Brian has been featured in Yahoo! Finance, Money.com, Entrepreneur.com, Life Happens, Forbes, MSN, and Good Financial Cents. Brian’s goal is to show customers the best products, the quickest answers to their questions, and provide expert advice.
Grant's past experience includes work as a licensed sales agent for Hagerty Insurance. He has reviewed thousands of existing auto policies across the nation and issued hundreds of new ones on everything ranging from classic cars undergoing restoration to modern exotics and motorcycles.
